Catheterisation provides effective and quality service in significantly reducing patient discomfort, hospital stay, and medical cost. It often requires the ability to enter the vascular system through very small incisions and to manoeuvre therapeutic or diagnostic devices to the target region in a human body. With the smallest possible circular cross-sections, catheters are the most important device widely used in interventing procedures. More than any other type of interventing device, catheters are extremely diverse in shape and specific features. Each catheter is designed for its own purpose and is distinct from others with its own characteristics and configuration.
The term catheter as used herein refers to any type of invasive surgical tool, used for insertion into a human or animal body for the purpose of providing remote access to a part of the body for performing some type of investigative and/or medical procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,887B1 shows a catheter-delivered low resolution Raman scattering analysing system for detecting lesions of a subject. The system uses a multi-mode laser attached to a catheter in making in-vivo Raman spectroscopic measurements of the lesion. The system includes a light collector and a light dispersion element as well as a detector to measure spectral patterns that indicate the presence of a lesion. In addition the components of the lesion can also be identified based on the unique Raman spectrum associated with each component of the lesion.
Further, various catheter tracking techniques for remotely locating and tracking a catheter inside a human or animal body are known from the prior art. Currently, X-ray fluoroscopic imaging is the standard catheter tracking technique. For example the Philips Cath-Lab systems provide X-ray imaging during catheterisation for monitoring of the operation. (http://www.medical.philips.com/main/products/cardiovascular/)
For example, in catheter based surgery a long and narrow plastic tube is inserted into the artery in the groin or arm. The physician then leads the catheter through the main artery to the heart During heart catherisation, the following diagnostic measurements can be made:                A small amount of contrast dye can be injected via the catheter. This contrast allows the blood vessels and heart chambers or valves, to be viewed using X-rays.        The pressure inside the heart chambers can be measured.        The concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood can be measured locally.        The electrical signals inside the heart can be measured, or the response to applied electrical signals can be determined.        
Catheter based treatments include:                PTCA (percutane transluminale coronaire angioplasty) to widen the blood vessel locally.        Placement of an endovascular prostheses in the blood vessel.        
Typically various medical parameters are measured and monitored during catheterisation, such as heart frequency, blood pressure and others. This medical information is essential for permanently monitoring the state of the patients body.
There is therefore a need for a catheter head enabling an improved monitoring of the state of a patient's body during catheterisation.